William "Bill" John Michalek

William “Bill” John Michalek, 85, of Marion, Iowa, passed away unexpectedly on Monday, May 4, 2026, at The University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics in Iowa City, Iowa. Cremation has taken place. A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, May 8, 2026, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Marion, with visitation one hour prior to the mass. Inurnment with military honors will take place at 2:30 p.m. on Friday at Memory Gardens Cemetery in Iowa City. Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Marion is assisting the family.

Bill was born on May 14, 1940, in Iowa County, Iowa, the son of George and Edna (Aikens) Michalek. He was a graduate of St. Bridget Catholic High School in Victor, Iowa and went on to serve honorably in the United States Air Force. He worked at Amana Refrigeration for 36 years, retiring in 2002 as a Master Service Representative. On May 27, 2000, Bill was united in marriage to Lois Irene (Stolte) Ricklefs at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. He enjoyed the outdoors and traveling across the country in his camper, especially to South Dakota, Minnesota, and Arkansas. Bill loved watching men’s and women’s basketball and cheering on the Iowa State Cyclones, the Iowa Hawkeyes, and the UNI Panthers. He was also an avid fan of the Minnesota Vikings and the Kansas City Chiefs. Bill will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.

Bill is survived and lovingly remembered by his wife, Lois Michalek of Marion; daughter, Ella Michalek of Victor, Iowa; stepchildren, Rhonda (Mark) Liposcak of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Matthew (Kim) Ricklefs of Marion, Raymond Ricklefs of Marion, and Marlin Ricklefs of Palo, Iowa; 13 step-grandchildren; 27 step-great-grandchildren; six step-great-great-grandchildren; and brother, Raymond Michalek of Galeton, Tennessee.

He was preceded in death by his parents; first wife, Charlotte (Swan) Michalek; and beloved pets, a 20-year-old dog, “Patches”, and a 19-year-old cat, “Joliet”.

Memorials in Bill’s memory may be directed to the family to be designated later.